A Christmas Greeting to all from Cleveland, Ohio.

Isn’t it great today we have iPhones, Androids, Ipads and GPS. No need to bring a passenger along on a road trip to unfold that map and give you the wrong directions. A simple smart phone will get you anywhere. Still, at some point you’ll need to look up and see if you’re on the right street and find that house number or building address. And you can thank Cleveland Ohio postal employee Joseph Briggs for that!

Now perhaps by today’s standards ole Joe may not have been much in the looks department; no Clark Gable or Carry Grant. However, he certainly had some kinda “charisma,” because during the civil war (1861-65) he convinced his post office supervisors to test delivering letter mail to city customers…FOR FREE!

Ya see, back in the day there was no home deliver. Folks had to come callin’ fer it at the city post office window: no text or email alerts, it was a swing or a miss. And ole Joe felt sorry for them ladies who had to walk to the post office–some for miles in freezing weather–hoping for a letter from their husbands, betrothed, sons, or brothers off fighting the war. So he appealed to his superiors to let him test delivering letters to their homes for free. And as you might imagine it was an immediate hit!

By 1863, 49 Northern post offices had 450 letter carriers providing home delivery, and guess what? By 1869 revenues appreciated from Free City Delivery were over ten times what it cost to provide the service! This was a no brainer for postal officials.

And this new home delivery system provided employment for Civil War veterans as letter carriers. Later, delivery clerks and post office officials insisted houses must be numbered, sidewalks must be clear, street lights must be installed and street signs must be erected before home deliver could commence.

Today, over 250,000 men and women deliver mail to cities across the country. Many of them probably still war vets, as veterans get preference for hiring to the federal government.

So the next time you turn down your street and pass that (usually) green sign with the white letters telling you home is near, give a shout out to Cleveland postal employee Joseph Briggs. And for the free home delivery, which led to the paved sidewalks, streetlights, and house numbers that help bring Christmas greetings, packages and guests right to your doorstep–and which every delivery service uses to this day.

Postscript. Now I’m sure those housewives, sisters and sweethearts were much appreciative to ole Joe for what he done for em–perhaps an invite in for a cup of coffee and some apple pie? Who knows maybe even a Christmas Card (Ahem!)

“May the four nails of his coffin be of purest gold”

Charlie Chan, Keeper of The Keys, Chapter 18

P.S.S. The perfect holiday gift don’t miss this children’s page-turner in conjunction with the 60th Anniversary of Postal Service mascot Mr. ZIP: Mr. ZIP’s Windy Day by Annie Auerbach (Author), Laura Catrinella (Artist)

MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY NEW YEAR!